Charlie the Stork Says Put the Winter Coat Back in the Closet

First they told us winter was being postponed, now Hungary's migratory birds are saying it's cancelled. Charlie, the stork famous for being the first to arrive back to Hungary at the end of each winter, has already been spotted at his nest in Vörs (Somogy County), reports the National Geographic Hungarian edition website. He always arrives two to three weeks earlier than the rest of Hungary's storks but has never returned this early - before even the first snowfall of winter. He was seen landing on his nest near the mayor's house on the town's main square a little before 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Charlie appeared in Vörs for the first time eight years ago, and locals say he has been a sure sign of the arrival of spring ever since. Around 20 stork nests are built on the electric poles of Vörs, which means the town's stork population is between 60 and 80. Charlie always arrives alone and cleans the nest before his mate arrives. Aaaw!